Zeppelin Youth Foundation JUST! honors young talents

The Zeppelin Youth Foundation JUST! has once again recognized outstanding projects by pupils and students from the Lake Constance region. In the current funding round, a total of € 15,000 in prize money was awarded. Overall, eleven projects were submitted, nine of which were honored by the jury.

First place in the university category went to Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University for a power grid simulation game developed in collaboration with Wissenswerkstatt. In the upper secondary school category, the Markdorf Education Center (BZM) was recognized for its autonomous soccer robot, marking the institution’s first participation in JUST!. The award-winning team “Bodensee Koalas” has also already qualified for the Robocup Junior European Championship 2026 in Vienna.

First place in the lower secondary school category went to Graf-Zeppelin-Gymnasium, which worked together with the Student Research Center (SFZ) to develop an AI-based milling detection system. The motivation award was presented to the team from Graf-Soden School – also participating for the first time – for its flying thermal energy monitor.

“It is very important to us to support young talents at an early stage, to inspire them to pursue innovation and to encourage them to think beyond the obvious. The projects clearly demonstrate the tremendous potential in the Lake Constance region – potential that benefits both society and the local economy” said Alexandra Mebus, Chair of the Zeppelin Youth Foundation JUST! as well as Managing Director and CHRO of the Zeppelin Group.

The projects were presented on May 11, 2026, at the “Alte Lehrwerkstatt” at Zeppelin Systems. The subsequent award ceremony took place in a festive setting at the Zeppelin cafeteria. The youth foundation was established in 1990 by the Zeppelin Group together with Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH. Since then, both companies have continuously supported the development of young people. More information on the projects and how to participate can be found at www.just-zeppelin.com.

About the Zeppelin Youth Foundation JUST!

The Zeppelin Youth Foundation JUST! was founded in 1990 by Zeppelin GmbH and Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH. Its mission is to promote the education and development of young talents in the Friedrichshafen and Ravensburg-Weingarten region. Individuals and teams are invited to submit their projects in the fields of natural sciences, technology, business, and the social or cultural sciences. The best entries receive funding awards totaling up to 25,000 euros and are honored with the JUST! Award. For more information, please visit www.just-zeppelin.com.

About the Zeppelin Group

The Zeppelin Group is a global sales and service provider with extensive industry expertise in the fields of construction, drive and energy. The company’s success is built on its established brands Zeppelin Cat, Zeppelin Rental, and Zeppelin Power Systems as well as its plant engineering division, Zeppelin Systems. Zeppelin supports its customers with a comprehensive portfolio of services – ranging from consulting, engineering and sales to rental and project solutions as well as service, maintenance and digital solutions. With over 12,000 employees in 29 countries, Zeppelin is a high-performing, globally positioned group. In the 2025 fiscal year, Zeppelin generated revenue of 4.4 billion euros. The holding company is Zeppelin GmbH, with its legal domicile in Friedrichshafen; the corporate headquarters are located in Garching near Munich. The Zeppelin Group is owned by the Zeppelin Foundation. For more information, please visit zeppelin.com.

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